Vegetarian or non-vegetarian, which is better ?

Always people are divided in the case of food habits. Many opt for vegetarian food while others find it difficult to take food without a non-vegetarian dish. Vegetarianism is now-a-days spreading to countries where almost all were non-vegetarians.

Some claim that human beings are naturally vegetarians and their body and teeth are in tune with it. On the other hand another group says just in the opposite direction. Teeth has the provision for eating non-vegetarian items and the body become stronger with its consumption. Both come forward with scientific explanations.

We in India take non-vegetarian food comparatively very less. Statistics says approximately 3.26 kg of meat only is taken by Indians per head a year. At the same time these figures in America and China are respectively 52.2 kg and 114 kg. This shows how less is our meat consumption. People in USA take almost 35 times what we take !

We, the Kerala people prefer fish to meat and our choice is limited in red meat. Our annual intake of meat is almost three times of the national average.

The fact that human body is designed to take in only vegetarian food has always been an important topic of discussion. With a close look on our features and comparing it with animals' the solution lays bare before us. The structure of our teeth closely matches that of a herbivore than a carnivore. The flat stretch of front teeth and the grinding teeth that follow are the basic structure and dental design in a herbivore.Carnivores has only rows of canines that are used to tear meat into pieces. Flat teeth are uncommon in such animals.Considering the cases of omnivore (consumes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian) along with the flat teeth and the grinding teeth supplementary pairs of canines will be included which can be a paragon for human dental structure. But this seems to be modification that have taken place after years of evolving. When analyzing the teeth structures of primitives as their primary food was plants and their parts the skeletal remains leaves us evidences of pure vegetarians.

But we can never neglect the fact that in European countries to survive the extreme cold conditions intake of fat and meat is inevitable to maintain their body temperature. That is the reason why they consume far more multiples of the amount of meat we eat.For them a condition without including meat in their diet will often chance their survival during extreme climatic conditions. As for us exclusion of meat from our diets will cost us nothing more than reduction in the number of side dishes for our meals.

The inclusion of such non-vegetarian varieties came to India with the arrival of the Mughals, The Britishers and many such usurpers who brought in heavily their life style upon us. By the introduction of Christianity the western mode of living affixed itself into the lives of Indians.Although Indian cuisine included marine varieties especially from the coastal menus such large quantities and qualities of non-vegetarian dishes entered into our's when we began to copy what the English did. Not just the food habits but attire, style, speech, mode of living, and many more.

When it comes to the question of which is better, the answer that suites in best would be vegetarian. A carnivore kills as to feed itself and never kills for sport. As part of the food chain the entire design of a carnivore supports only the intake of meat. But as for us, our system supports vegetarian diet the most.In Kerala we resort to non-vegetarian diet only for the pleasure of our senses . When religion takes in the role of proclaiming the use of non-vegetarian diet we have to remember that these religions when considering the source of their birth (place of birth), inclusion of non-vegetarian diet is inevitable for the climatic conditions there. When compared to the moderate climate of Kerala the maximum our body can afford, to go in hand with our climatic conditions and necessities, is a vegetarian diet and if necessary marine or freshwater fish items and eggs.

Human beings are omnivores, therefore can eat both flesh and plants. But we all know that non-vegetarian foods take long time to be digested and can cause various diseases like cholesterol and all. If we unknowingly eat the meat of a diseased animal, there are lot of chances, we might also get that disease or else the bacteria will enter our body. The junk food centers are increasing because of our demand towards non-vegetarian food.

Vegetarian foods are always preferred. But, in today;s scenario, we can't even trust the vegetarian foods as they are cultivated by using various harmful pesticides, which won't go even if we wash it or boil it. It is better to cultivate at least few vegetables in our compound, if we have the space, that is our olden Kerala culture and that is the reason why our ancestors are still healthy.

I would like to remind all the SPK members that do not go behind the odor, always go for nutrient value. A food that has good taste and smell may not be healthy, like junk foods.

Regarding the vegetable and the possible poison content in them, if bought from market, one has to take care of. The result of a detailed test conducted by the scientists of Kerala Agricultural University reveals that the vegetable bought may be kept for 20 minutes in water in which about 2 % (of the total weight of vegetables) sodium chloride (common salt)is dissolved. Then it will be free from the poison content. Of course not pieces of vegetables but the whole itself.T.M.SankaranGold Member, SPK

If this is the pathetic state of vegetables that we get from the market think of the non-vegetarian items! The problems a shavarma caused is still on the trail in Kerala and since then we have seen how much unhealthy is the food we are served at hotels and even from the graneries. The corpses of rats in the rice sacks spur in a disgust each time we see a pile of rice sacks. The recent rades by the health department in graneries, hotels, hospitals, schools etc have unveiled the truths behind every meal served. We recently saw the illicit trade of dead cattle for meat. In such cases a strong call have been given by the government to cultivate a bit of by our own.

The availability of fresh produces are scarce in the Kerala market. Eating have posed to be our new threat!! Such unconditional denial of one's right to food!

What ever we may be, say herbivore, carnivore or omnivore ,nowadays it have come to be our preferance to be what we like, the food materials are almost the same as all are rotten or half rotten and anyway not fresh products available to us. Its such a pathetic condition! Our increased yearning to be like the West, to always dine outside and to turn away from agriculture have denied our rights to eat good food!